Flush-type wall cabinet



Jan. 11 1927.

A. H. .cooK

FLUSH TYPE WALL CABINET Filed March 16, 1925 V. "w 7 J 0a .6 I, 1/ M 24725 M Z 0 w 1 7 Z 4 a v w v w m H V 1 IEIFIIHH: 9 .i fl l2 f .T 5 ZPatented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR H. COOK, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

FLUSH-TYPE WALL CABINET.

Application filed March 16, 1925.

This invention relates to improvements in wall cabinets ot the flushtype.

In the wiring of private residences and small apartments, a cabinet mustalways be provided for the main switch and both main and branch cutoutsso as to guard against danger of fires. It is necessary, at times, toopen these cabinets for the purpose of rc placing burned out fuses. Asthese cabinets or cutout boxes are intended to be employed in alldwellings, it is obvious that people who do not know anything aboutelectricity will open these cabinets for the purpose of changing fuses.It has often happened that people were severely shocked by coming incontact with live terminals or that they carelessly caused shortcircuits to be formed by which they were seriously injured. To pre ventaccidents of this type, cutout cabinets of this type should be soconstructed that the cabinet could not be opened until the main switchhad first been moved to open position, so that the contacts that may bereached. will all be dead whenever the cover is opened. A meter mustalso be provided at the entrance to a building and this must beprotected by means of fuses and a switch. I-Ieretotore it has oftenhappened that the meter has been mounted on the wall near the cabinetand connected to the terminals therein by means of wires that have beenrun exposed. This produces. a very unsightly appearance. Vhen theordinary cutout. cabinets are used, the service company must disconnectthe meter whenever a building is vacated. This causes a large amount ofextra work.

It is the object of this invention to produce a cutout cabinet thatshall be provided with some interlocking means between the (over and themain, switch which makes it 1i0i7t....l1 \j to move the switch to openposition belorc the door to the cabinet can be opened. Another object isto produce a cabinet oi this flush type which shall be so rou-=lructcdthat the meter may be attached directly to the front face of the casingand which shall permit the wires from the switch to the meter to be runconcealed. A still Further object of this invent-ion is to pro duce acutout cabinet that shall be so designed that the switch may be lockedin open position by means of a suitable padlock or seal so that it willbe unnecessary to remove the meter from vacant houses or apartments.

The above, and other objects that will be- Serial No. 15,808.

come apparent as the description proceeds, are attained by means of aconstruction that I will now proceed to describe in detail, referencefor this purpose being had to the accompanying drawing in which thepreferred form of my invention is illustrated and in which- Fig. 1 is atop plan view of my improved. cabinet showing the door in open positionand showing a part broken away to better disclose certain features ofthe construction.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1, and shows the switch inclosed position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section also taken on line 22 Fig. 1 showing theswitch in closed position.

My improved cabinet comprises a box having a bottom 1, ends 2 and sides3. The top of the box is formed by a plate 4 whose outer dimensions aregreater than the corresponding dimensions of the-cabinet so as to forman overhanging edge or trim which I have designated by numeral 5 in Fig.2. The plate 4 has an opening 6 whose edges are pressed inwardly so asto form a rabbet 7 which receives and cooperates With the door 8 that ishinged to one side of the opening and can be opened in the manner shownin Fig. 1. The upper end of the plate 4L is notched for the reception ofthe lower end of the meter support panel 9 whose lower end has a notch10 which communicates with the interior of the cabinet. Vithin thecabinet and secured to the bottom 1 is a panel 11 of insulating materialto which the switch contacts 12 and 13 are secured. These contacts formpart of the main switch. I have not made any attempt to show theconstruction of the main switch in detail as the switch employed by meis bought on the open market and is not a part of this invention. Ihave, however, indicated the switch in a diagrammatic way as I haveoperatively associated with the switch means for locking and unlockingthe door. A shaft id is supported by spaced brackets 15. Secured to theshaft 15 are two spaced members 16 which are preferably constructed ofinsulating material and are sector shaped. I'IZIIP dle portions 17project radially from the sectors 16 and extend through openings 18 inthe plate 4. The outer ends of these handles are connected by means of abar 19. By grasping the bar the shaft 14 may be rotated to a limitedextent in either direction. Secured to the shaft 14: and insulated fromit are switch contacts 20 which have been shown as each being formed byan L shaped member of conducting material. These contacts are soproportioned that they can be rotated into contact with the electricalcontacts 12 and 13 in the manner shown in Fig. 3 in which position theswitch is closed, or into the position shown in Fig. 2, in whichposition the switch is open. The meter has been indicated by dottedlines in 2 and has been designated by the letter M. The lower or bottompart of the meter abuts the upper edge of the trough 21 which isadjustably secured to the plate 9 by means of screws 22 that passthrough slots 23. The wires by means of which the meter is connected tothe circuit, pass through the slot 10 and are therefore concealed,thereby making a neat appearance. Vithin the cabinet the sectors 16 areconnected by means of a rod 2% to which the upper end of the loci; ingbolt 25 is pivotally attached. The Other end of the locking bolt extendsthrough a strap 26. When the switch is open the bolt 25 occupies theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 2 but when the switch is closed itoccupies the position shown in Fig. 3. becured to the inside of the doornear the upper end thereof is a strap 27 which forms an opening that isadapted to receive the lower end of the bolt 2:"; in the manner shown inFig. 3. If the switch is closed before the door has been closed, thelatter cannot then be closed for the reason that the strap 2? will hitthe lower end of the bolt It is my intention that, after the door hasbeen opened for any reason, it shall be moved to closed position whilethe switch is open. After the door has been closed the switch is closed.This looks the door in closed position. The door remains locked untilthe switch is opened which assures that the contacts will be deadwhenever the door is opened which makes it perfectly safe for anyone tochange fuses.

It sometimes happens that a house or an apartment is vacated for sometime and that it is desirable to lock the main switch in open position.To accomplish this I have secured an angle 28 to the outside of theplate l. Adjacent this angle I have pivoted a turnhutton 29 so that itcan be rotated about the pivot 30. This turnbutton has an angularportion 31 that is provided with an opening which is adapted to registerwith a corresponding opening in member 28. lVhen the switch is to belocked in open position it is, of course, first moved to open positionafter which the turnbutton 29 is moved into the position shown in Figs.1 and 2 and a padlock 82 inserted through the registering openings inmembers 28 and 29. iVhen thus arranged the switch will be locked in openposition. The door is also provided with the usual turnbutton 33.

The cabinet above described is intended to be set into the wall whoseface is designated by line in Fig. The meter when in place is accessibleand can be connected to the circuit without having the wires exposed.Besides the neat appearance which my cabinet presents, it has theseveral safety features that I have already described.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new is:

l. A cut out box and metering panel adapted to be set within a wall soas to have its open side fiush with the surface of the wall, a trimextending about the box, said trim being adapted to project out beyondthe sides of the box and onto the surrounding wall SllifttCQ, the upperportion of the trim having a cut out portion extending from the upperedge thereof to a point be low the upper end wall of the box, wherebyan. opening is formed that communicates with the interior of the box andpermits wires to pass outwardly, a meter base piece having its lower endextending into the opening in the trim and projecting upwardly above thesame, said base piece being adapted to support a meter and a trough-likemember secured to the base piece so as to enclose the opening in thetrim, the upper edge of the trough-like member being adapted to contactwith the lower side of a meter whereby an enclosed passageway is formedfor wires between the interior of the cut out box and the meter.

2. A combined cut out box and meter support comprising a box adapted tobe set into and secured to a wall, said box having vertical sides andhorizontal end walls, a trim secured to said box, and extendingoutwardly beyond the sides thereof, said trim having a cut out portionin its upper edge, a meter sul'iporting member having its lower endextending into said cut out portion, means for securing said member inplace. said member having an opening cut out of its lower edge so topermit wires to pass outwardly from the box to a meter on thoStiPPOltiDg member and a trough-like mem ber secured to the supportingmember so as to enclose said opening. the upper side of said trou,==h-lii e member coming against the lower surface of a meter whereby anenclosed passageway for wire '55 formed.

in testimony where i my signature.

it. soon.

